The merits or otherwise of Justin Hawkins seem to divide the rock fraternity however, as someone who appreciated both of the albums he delivered whilst leading The Darkness I’ve been waiting to see what direction his post-Darkness outfit would take. The songs heard on various radio stations haven’t exactly been enticing, and I can definitely do without the image which seems purposely more outrageous than ever, but surely a man who’s first album was the soundtrack to a summer and who’s second was better than many would believe would turn out something of interest now he’s in sole control of the ship?

MUSIC can be a cruel business sometimes. Don't think so? Just ask Justin Hawkins. A few years ago the former frontman for The Darkness could do no wrong: MTV awards, gold and platinum albums, a headline appearance at the Reading festival, even the South Bank Show dedicated an episode to Hawkins and his retro-rockin' cohorts. But my, how Hawkins' fortunes have changed.Following well publicised alcohol and drug problems, and a hasty departure from his million-selling band, Hawkins has taken up from where he left off – playing the same sort of poodle-haired, glam-rock his former band were renowned for.

"I WAS speaking to a Spanish journalist recently," recounts Hot Leg singer Justin Hawkins, "and all he could ask about was the Darkness. 'Will the Darkness be playing any festivals this year?' What do you think, you p*****?" Ouch. Still a bit of a sore point, then?

Hawkins was, of course, also the lead singer in the Darkness, a band who briefly owned the worlds of pop and 1980s hair-metal revivalism between 2003 and 2005, before disintegrating in bitter, booze-fuelled fashion. Hawkins then went on to such career highs as trying and failing to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest and covering Billy Ocean, alongside Jeremy Clarkson, for Comic Relief.